Media
West Virginia Early Childhood Care and Education Needs Assessment
The WV DHS Bureau for Family Assistance | November, 2023
The West Virginia Early Childhood Care and Education Needs Assessment calls for expansions in access to routine screenings, increased behavioral health support for children and families, and further provisions of concrete support. In Home Family Education supplies or connects families to these and more, through evidence based home visiting programs.
West Liberty Lions Club Family Support Center Connects Community
The Intelligencer.Wheeling-News Register| December 12, 2022
Center director Wendy Robinson said the center has no income guidelines, everything is free there and no family in need will be turned away. Robinson gets help not just from her staff – Parents As Teachers Educator Amy Doyle, Administrative Assistant Lara Schindler, Blessing Box Assistants Stephanie Bonar and Darin Perry and doula Jackie Garland – but also from students at West Liberty University.
DHHR Receives $2 Million to Support West Virginia Home Visitation Program
April 28, 2022
West Virginia was one of seven states to receive the HRSA MIECHV Innovation Award. Project goals include strengthening preventive efforts from trauma and child removal situations with a statewide coordinated referral process and online social care and referral system, improving child and family outcomes through increased screenings for enrolled families, and supporting and coordinating family engagement and leadership in program decision making for families unserved or underserved and facing disproportionate barriers to access or participation in services.
Parents as Teacher Program Receives National Recognition
The Intelligencer.Wheeling-News Register| October 17, 2020
Robinson said Friday that the PAT program goes through great lengths to assist families. While prospective families must have a child prenatal through kindergarten aged, there are no income requirements, and other children who are outside the age range are included as well — no sibling gets left behind.
REACHH Family Resource Center Celebrates 30 Years
The Register~Herald | March 7, 2020
REACHH also offers … a Parent as Teachers literacy-based, parent-child education program that utilizes home visitors to serve pregnant women, caregivers and families with children prenatal to 5-years-old.
WV Early Childhood Quarterly
Summer 2019
Michele Baranaskas, Coordinator, and Nonie Roberts, Training Specialist of Partners in Community Outreach wrote articles on the NEAR@Home Toolkit Pilot Project and Resiliency, respectively.
Annie E. Casey 2018 Kids Count Policy Report
Mentors lead Friday training and enrichment sessions and visit each parent at home twice a month, using the evidence-based Parents as Teachers program curriculum as a guide.
Strengthening Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect
Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee | March 26, 2019
LaCrisha Rose, WV Circle of Parents Network Facilitator, former Parents As Teachers Parent Educator and Parent Recipient shares her expertise with Federal Legislators. The meeting starts at 53 minutes in and lasts about an hour and a half.
Parents As Teachers National Center Annual Report, 2018 featuring REACHH Parent Educator Jeff Davis, serving Summers County families. “I certainly don’t fit the mold of the typical parent educator. But my families really trust me. They relate to me.”
Safe Sleep Awareness Month
Parsons Advocate | September 17, 2018
Angie Davis, program director, states “Our program gives away a book called “Sleep Baby, Safe and Snug” to all mothers of infants. This book was written by parents who lost their infant son as he lay sleeping on his father’s chest”. Davis elaborated, “This seems like a perfect picture of father and son on Facebook, but it is not safe at all for babies to sleep. Prevent the heartbreaking stories and put your baby in a safe place to sleep”, Davis advised.
WVU Center to Address NAS Challenges
Williamson Daily News | September 14, 2018
“Home visiting programs in West Virginia are serving more families impacted by substance use and demonstrating higher needs than ever,” said Jackie Newson, director of the West Virginia Home Visitation Program. “The opportunity to better meet the needs of families through expanded services and stronger resource efforts for families will have significant long-term impact on our state.”
Improving Maternal Mental Health – Women Say They Need More Support
WV Public Broadcasting | May 11, 2018
“The way that we live, the trends in our current society, definitely compound or magnify the experience of postpartum depression,” said Michelle Comer, the West Virginia support coordinator for Postpartum Support International and a therapist specializing in maternal mental health. “It isn’t new – it’s been around since moms have been having babies.”
Traumatic Childhood Events Common in WV, Report Says
Charleston Gazette-Mail | February 10, 2018
The report notes that several initiatives in the state take into consideration the effects of childhood traumatic experiences on childhood behavior and later health outcomes and quality of life. Examples include early childhood home visiting programs, the Handle with Care initiative, and child advocacy centers.
It Frightens Me to Think of What Will Happen to Clarksburg Now
Charleston Gazette-Mail | November 12, 2017
We are part of Parents as Teachers, a program that supports parents’ ability to nurture children’s early development, learning, and health by meeting families quite literally where they are — in their homes — and providing them supports to help them be the best parents they can be
Home Visitors Need Congressional Support
Charleston Gazette-Mail | August 2, 2017
Home visiting is a smart, scientifically proven investment that leads to better outcomes for families, kids, and communities and significant cost-savings for state budgets over time.
Home Visits Work: Let’s Make Them Universal
Chronicle of Social Change | December 4, 2016
While working as a home visitor, nearly every person I met yearned to be the best parent they could be. But many didn’t have what they needed. They lacked information about parenting skills and were often socially isolated, with few friends or family members to call for help and advice.
Home Visitors Help Parents Make the Most of the First 1,000 Days
WV Public Broadcasting’s The Front Porch Podcast | June 22, 2016
Over 500 Respond to Adverse Childhood Experience Online Survey
WV Metro News | December 10, 2015
In-home family education helps prevent adverse childhood experiences by helping the parents understand that the relationship with their child is the most important thing — that they are their child’s first teacher.
WV Home Visitation Program promotion with Marshall University Athletics
September 2015
Listen to commercials about the WV Home Visitation Program and an interview with someone from Mountain State Healthy Families.
Parents As Teachers Program Expanding in Randolph County
WBOY | April 14, 2015
50 families are served in Tucker County and the program is starting to grow in Randolph County. The Family Resource Network in Elkins has five parent educators, two full time and three part-time educators.
Home Visiting Programs: An Early Test For the 114th Congress
Brookings | February 5, 2015
A recent literature review commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services found that 16 home visiting programs have enough support to earn the label “evidence-based.”
The First 1,000 Days: Investing in WV Children When It Counts
WV Public Broadcasting | February 2, 2015
The documentary explains the science and techniques that build healthy brain architecture during our crucial early years. Here is a promotional clip.
Film: Toddler Years Vital for Learning
Charleston Gazette-Mail | February 1, 2015
Yet while about 900 families in the state take part in In-Home Family Education programs, more than 9,000 additional families could participate if this program was available everywhere in West Virginia, according to a 2013 study by Partners in Community Outreach.
Child-friendly Agenda in Legislature Should Appeal to Both Parties and Has in the Past
Charleston Gazette-Mail | January 11, 2015
There is a ton of evidence that investments in programs like voluntary in-home family education pay off hugely in fewer problems and better outcomes down the road.
West Virginia Children Succeed When Parents and Families Succeed
Public News Service | November 13, 2014
One way to maximize the use of professionals and advocates in coaching families is by utilizing them for home visits to address two generations. On one hand, children’s developmental, health and education needs could be addressed, along with job training and other assistance for parents.
U.S. Census Data Shows Poverty Rate on the Rise in WV
Charleston Daily Mail | September 18, 2014
The state Legislature can take action to help struggling families by investing in early intervention and childhood programs such as home visiting…
Science of Young Brains has Put More Emphasis on Early Education
The Dallas Morning News | August 24, 2014
So what do scientists think they know about young brains? There’s a wide belief that more brain connections form in the first three years that will ever be connected again. The assumption is that stimulation at that young age sets a pattern.
Op-Ed Commentary: Why Children and Families Won
Charleston Gazette | May 31, 2014
Hundreds of people sacrificed their time, talent, and resources to make this happen, as well as the legislative champions who continued to push for solutions and the excellent journalists who told our story. That’s what’s fun about working with such a broad movement – you can’t even keep track of every single letter sent or action taken.
Home Visiting: Setting Our Children Up for Lifelong Success
The Huffington Post | May 19, 2014
Research clearly shows that high-quality home visiting programs improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, boost school readiness and academic achievement, and help families become economically self-sufficient.
The Early Childhood Intervention That Can Make Even Congress Stop Fighting
National Journal | May 9, 2014
Researchers have confirmed that these programs boost child health, reduce abuse and neglect, boost participating families’ economic well-being, and help children arrive better prepared for school.
Criminal Justice Officials Favor Restoring Child, Family Funding
Public News Service | May 9, 2014
Some Vetoed Social Services Funds Restored
Charleston Gazette | May 7, 2014
“All these programs, goodness gracious, are operating on shoestrings, and you can’t take away the string”
Funding Could Be Cut For Early Childhood Development
WCHS-TV | February 27, 2014
A group of early childhood advocates met at the capital Thursday afternoon. They said losing $980,000 could turn into millions of dollars lost.
State Budget Cuts Put $13 Million in Child, Family Money “At Risk”
Public News Service | February 27, 2014
Advocates for early-childhood and family-support program have delivered a symbolic $13 million check to West Virginia lawmakers – money they say could be lost if the state goes ahead with budget cuts.
Op-Ed Commentary: Restore Cuts to Family Education
Charleston Gazette | February 26, 2014
In-Home Family Educators help parents understand their role as their child’s first and most important teacher. They provide information and support in such areas as prenatal care, child health, child development, behavior and early learning and literacy.
Nick Kristof Parachutes Back Into Appalachia and the Results Aren’t Pretty
Center for Economic and Policy Research | February 25, 2014
One could easily get the impression … that the early interventions he mentions—family planning, home visitation programs, free at-home help for new moms who want to breastfeed, …and quality pre-K—are new ideas that have little to do with the “War on Poverty.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
Op-Ed Commentary: Tiny Budget Cuts Can Be Devastating
Charleston Gazette | February 1, 2014
The proposed budget even slices 25 percent from early childhood home visiting programs, despite the fact that these have been proven to prevent child abuse, reduce the number of low-birth-weight babies, and promote health and better educational outcomes.
Editorial: Caregivers Can Make a Difference
Charleston Gazette | November 9, 2013
One of the best things ever tried and proven to help mitigate the effects of poverty, isolation and unprepared parents is home visitors.
Editorial: Thumbs up: Healthy Families initiative helps local at-risk families
Huntington Herald-Dispatch | October 30, 2013
Whether it’s a young single mother or other circumstances, too many parents are on their own and in great need of information, advice, and support. One of the groups that helps provide that in our region is Mountain State Healthy Families, which provides free program services for new mothers.
Editorial: Teaching Parents Skills is Worthwhile Investment
Huntington Herald-Dispatch | September 23, 2013
States also should look at the most effective home visitation programs provided by social service agencies, and consider expanding those as well.
Editorial: On the Strength of Parents
Charleston Gazette | September 21, 2013
The lesson from this report is the same thing I’ve learned over a career spent reporting on efforts to help children and families: Help parents, and you help kids…This documented knowledge of what makes a difference over a lifetime should lead state and local policy.
Editorial: Home Visitation Effort Can Help Prevent Child Abuse
Huntington Herald-Dispatch | April 7, 2012
A study done by the Pew Center for the States found that a good program of voluntary home visits to at-risk families can cut child abuse cases in half — that means trained professionals meeting with families during pregnancies and the first three years of a child’s life.
Home Visits: A Powerful Weapon Against Child Abuse
Time Magazine | April 5, 2012
Every new mother has so many questions: Is my baby growing well? Is she reaching her developmental milestones? Why does she cry so much and what can I do about it?
